FWC: Luring gators puts entire boat in danger

EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. -

Witnesses say that boat captain Wally Weatherholt was trying to feed an alligator before his hand was bitten off. The NBC2 Investigators found out his employer, Captain Doug's Small Airboat Tours in Everglades City, is likely in the clear.

Video captured by NBC2 last week aboard one of Captain Doug's airboat tours shows a captain luring a gator to the side of the boat and admitting to the passengers inside what he was doing was wrong.

Jorge Pino with FWC says that's evidence of illegal activity.

"Those pictures you showed me and pictures like that, we receive on a regular basis from people who are concerned, is exactly what we want these boat operators not to do," Pino said. "That is something we try to preach on a regular basis that you should not do, and as a captain of a vessel, you should know better."

Pino says luring or tempting a gator with food or rags is not only illegal, it puts everyone in the boat in danger.

Captain Doug's manager Glenn Smith disagrees.

"I don't condone it, I'm not saying it's right, but I know it happens. I've seen pictures like this. But no, it's not a danger," Smith said.

Smith tells NBC2 his employees know such actions are against the law, and because they sign a form saying so, FWC officials say companies are in the clear for individual captain's actions.

"All the captains have signed a form. It's illegal to feed alligators," manager Glenn Smith of Captain Doug's Airboat Tours said. "That's up to the captain. I mean, obviously, we don't follow the captain in the boat."

The problem isn't unique to Captain Doug's.

NBC2 found over the past few years, FWC has cited captains from all over the state and in Everglades City for various issues.

Just last year, 13 people were cited in Florida for feeding or taunting a gator.

Out of two in Collier County, one was a tour guide named Randal Daniels. Daniels was caught feeding an alligator marshmallows while working for Island Boat Tours in Everglades City.

"Unfortunately, these people tend to do it for the almighty dollar, the tip. They want more tip. And unfortunately, that causes a problem," Pino said.

It's problem, Smith says, that has never turned unsafe in the past.

"People have a lot of fun out here, and that's the way we want it; we want it safe. This is just an unfortunate incident that did happen. It's not a usual incident," Smith said.

FWC is not yet releasing details from the investigation into Weatherholt's lost hand, but he could face criminal charges.

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